Nice, @royaflin! Your report is so full of research and well-thought out. It highlights an important need that libraries can help to fill.

@lauraw Thank you so much! This was a labor of love for me. My husband and I worked as weekend parents for a group home in our college years, and the experience stuck with me. We ended up fostering and adopting three children, later in life. I learned so much doing the research for this project and much of it resonated with my personal experience.

Hi, Roya! As a librarian in Contra Costa, I just want to commend you for what a fantastic concept you’ve presented here. How much you care about foster youth really shines in the effort you’ve put forth in this project. Your contextual information and the statistics therein really blew me away, and underscored the need for the program you’ve designed. It’s amazing how much social interfacing and assessment I do with my students on a daily basis as a librarian for TK-5; the trust they have in us for what we do translates naturally to the type of work a social worker designing programming for the library could also do to make a change. Excellent idea, and excellent work!

Hi Roya, thank you so much for creating this report. I’ve learned so much about the challenges in the U.S. foster system, and I can really see how libraries can become safe havens of connection and stability for youth in the system.

Thank you @royaflin for this exceptional blog post! Your research is astounding and the statistics are sobering. I first learned about social workers in the library way back in INFO 200 and it seems like such a natural partnership to link library services and social services. Your report is excellent in pointing out the challenges but also the opportunities! I really like the idea of peer navigators. Although I have no personal experience with foster youth, I would imagine that trust is a big concern. Connecting with similar youth seems like an important aspect of any successful program. I hope you are able to get a program like this started in real life!

Impressive work. Thank you so much for sharing it!

@royaflin, this report was very eye opening. Your “Hopeful Futures” project is a great way to show how libraries can help young people in foster care in new and important ways. It is a great connection to social services that we are seeing more and more with libraries. Thank you for all of the work you put into this.

Hi, Roya,
What a great inspriration report! As a school social worker, and former Foster Youth Services coordinator for SFUSD, I appreciate all of your recommendations,

You might be interested in this mentoring program based at UC Berkeley: https://www.soarforyouth.org.

Recently I thougth they should rename the Independent Living Skills programs (ILPs) for foster youth “Interdependent living programs” and include the library in their transitional IL Plans!

Brava!

You raise fair concerns with your reflections, it’s important to be able to grow along side peers and mentors which marganilized groups may have less access to because of busy schedules or just a lack of public support. Although many libraries assist to connect people with proper resources, that depends on the area soemone lives in. I’d wish that it was a universal statement, but we still need to work to make libraries more inclusive as they are primarily build in better off neighborhoods, or they just don’t get proper funding in poorer areas. I’ve even been warned against working in a certain area due to it being a ‘bad’ area, which is concerning since it creates a feedback loop of not being able to improve the quality of where someone lives.

I love that you got up on your soapbox. I want to hear more! Neurodivergent kids get so much negative feedback from the world around them that having a mentor “see” you and your full capabilities can be life-changing. It’s too bad that finding such an inclusive learning environment in the school system can be such a struggle.

@oliviaevans Yes, I agree! For my inspiration report, I am diving deep into the needs of foster kids and how libraries are struggling to get them into the library to take advantage of the programming. More librarians need to do outreach to group homes and other agencies working with foster youth to get them into the library.

What an inspiring testament to the power of connected learning! Your son’s journey with the robotics team beautifully illustrates how these experiences can profoundly impact individuals, providing them with opportunities to shine and thrive. It’s heartening to see libraries, like Multnomah County’s, stepping up to foster similar transformative experiences for underserved communities. This commitment to equity and inclusion is truly commendable and reflects the essence of connected learning. Keep sharing these incredible stories—they remind us of the boundless potential within us all.

Roya,
I loved this! You always seem to bring the reader back to the big picture of this shared human experience and the need for understanding and compassion. Thank you for the book recommendation, “Far from the Tree.” When I have more time to do reading outside of the program, I will take a look. I am also going to pass it on to a parent at work who shares his struggles with me regarding helping his transgender child with learning challenges.
Lovely post. I always make sure to stop and read what you have added to the discussion.

@royaflin It is amazing how making a connection to someone who is going through something difficult can make it easier. Knowing that you’re not alone and someone has a similar story to yours can be lifew changing.

I can especially empathize when it comes to our children. My son has had multiple medical issues in his life, and when I was first learning about them, I always felt better meeting someone who went through a similar experience. I now have been the parent to pass along my (and my son’s) story to others. I love when I can help someone else with what I learned during my struggles. If I can make things a little easier for someone else, that makes everything worth wild!

-Laurel

Thanks for taking the time to share your story. I think most can empathize with or identify with such struggles with Family members or friends.

@royaflin Thnak you for such an honest and thoughtful exploration of your story as a aprent and how it all relates to the big picture. The nbook you suggested sounds amazing and so useful for understanding others’ stories.

@laurele Isn’t it amazing how life’s burdens become lighter when shared? I love that you are passing your story and wisdom to other parents to help them feel less isolated and more empowered to tackle their challenges. Thank you for your comments!

Your reflection beautifully captures the transformative power of storytelling and vulnerability. Your journey through challenging times, finding support in your book group and on the soccer field, highlights the profound impact of genuine human connection. Integrating insights from authors like Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Andrew Solomon, and Brené Brown, you underscore the importance of embracing diversity and vulnerability for true connection. Initiatives like the human library and partnerships with StoryCorps demonstrate the pivotal role libraries play in fostering dialogue and community engagement. Your mention of narrative inquiry in libraries highlights the value of amplifying individual stories to better understand community needs and adapt programming. Overall, your account eloquently illustrates how storytelling nurtures empathy, transcends boundaries, and builds bridges across differences. Thank you for sharing your journey and insights with such honesty and depth.